Baby Backs Vs Spares

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BABY BACKS VS SPARES

  • baby backs

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • spares

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    0
  • Poll closed .
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dirtman775

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
May 26, 2008
440
10
nj
I dont mean to start any controversy but, in your opinion which of these have more meat? My local BJ'S is out of spares and they have no clue when they are getting in any racks of spares. I have always done spares due to cost affectiveness.
 
I was doing BB's but have switched back to spares now that I know how to trim them and smoke them right! Much more meat and just as good! Huge difference in price too!
 
that is my exact opinion billbo, i LOVE to trim and play butcher with the spares....gives more of a sence of accomplishment in my opinion and your right the cost is sooooo much cheaper
 
My personnally favorite is beef but as far as pork I like spare ribs and I don't trim them as much as most people.
 
I grill/smoke the spares more often, but I will get some BBs when they are on sale....just to keep in practice if nothing else....I do consider the BBs slightly more tender....but not significantly enough for the cost difference. I get the country style pretty regular....they give me the option of smoking on the grill, or crocking them if I feel like it..

Ok...I just think pork, of any cut is just MADE to be grilled!
 
After trimmed to ST. Louis, there IS less meat on them as compared to BB ribs when the same lengh, I prefer BB for flavor and appearance.
 
I just started doing spares recently, I like them, but prefer baby backs. The only thing I do not like about the spares/ St Loius cut ribs is the cartilage on the tip of the rib. The cartilage is the only reason I lean towards BB's otherwise I really like cooking and eating both.
 
So smoke, your saying there is more meat on the BB's? than spares
 
Yes St. Louis cut, when the same length, we had this discussion about a year ago and we debunked it, BB are more meaty, or in the mid west they are.

Now if your talking untrimmed spares, then thats a no brainer, but i haven't many if any getting smoked.
 
I agree, not to mention the fat.
 
Prefer BBs, though not enough to justify the price difference. Spares go on sale for .99/lb frequently here, and I love 'em aswell..
 
The St.Louis trim disposes of that cartilage-laden slab. Doing so also reduces the amount of fat in what you're serving.

You smoke that slab too of course! It requires at least a half-hour longer than the remainder of the ribs. But YOU eat that, while putting the more photogenic ribs out for your guests.
 
Pound for pound, and I'm talking about FINISHED net weight of meat yielded, there is no cut of meat more expensive than a baby back rib. Damn commercial restaurants made them so popular...

Think about it...market price is $4.99 per pound at a good meat market - meaning, not Kroger cryovacked "wtih solutions added" ribs. $3.99 sometimes...but a lot of the gross weight is bone!

So, my opinion is also the same as others...St. Louis Cut Spares are the best...I like the taste of both equally, but the price makes spares my #1. As far as the cartilidge on spares, yes - it's trimmed off when you make St. Louis Cut. Also, I cut a lot of that fat cap off the top of the spares...almost all of it, and then they end up tender and with a lot less fat, similar to B.B's.

One
 
Hmmm - not sure what happened...I got cut off
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what I was going to conclude with, is that with the st. louis cut ribs, you have that skirt flap and the rib tip trimmings to use as the chef's snack and some meat to throw in with your beans! Another reason I love the spares.
 
I like BB's but not for the price. I like spares, I like St Luis,... Hey I like smoked meat (and FOOD) of all kinds.

For the price, I will pass on BB's, only reason they are so expensive is the restaurants eat them up, making less available in the market place. Yes they are delicious, but then again so are St Luis.

As far as price for St Luis, just my opinion, they are overpriced too! So personally I will trim my own. For me it isn't a hassle, because I get more meals out of my trims for a lot less. Thanks to this forum and others, my table fare is a lot better than most restaurants, even the ones that have made megabucks specializing in the ribs, and steaks.

Am I tooting my own horn? Not really, because I am sure and know a lot of members here produce even better than me, so I still strive for the best the TBS has to offer!

Matt
aka Rocky
 
shoot thats a tough one, I really like BB ribs, but also like spares, I like the K.C. cut spare rib almost as much as BB's.
 
Spares for sure. Trim up St. Louis style and let it rock. The meat that you trim off is excellent for making ABT's or just sampling throughout the day. It has been my experience that the trimmed meat cooks up faster and is like petrified wood if left on for the duration of the spares. Now I am not picky by any means, I will eat whatever is available or whatever looks good that day. Always tastes GOOD with a cold beverage of your choice.

Steve
 
The price, to me, seems about the same.
I'm not a big fan of the trimmings..so I usually toss them.
At Sams, Baby backs and spares are the same price(not per pound, but per rib)..so for the same price I end up with 3 slabs of babys or 3 slabs of St Louis style.
I usually figure a per bone price rather than per pound.
I've been cooking more St Louis style lately preparing for competitions, but for eating ribs, I'll take baby backs.
The ones as Sams are usally very meaty and more tender than spares.

To each his/her own.
 
I buy the spares at Coscto, trim them to St. Louis, and smoke the trimmed skirt with the ribs. Usually pull the skirt about 2 hrs. into the smoke, use part of it to make a sandwich
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and cut the rest up to toss into Dutche's baked beans!

Best of both worlds!
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